Hi from a newbie...

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Originally Posted by nun2sharp

I dont know why people suggest learning to hone with these pieces of crap. The only thing to learn from them is that they cant be honed. An inexpensive vintage blade would be best at least you have a chance to learn from it as you make mistakes or progress.

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welp thats your right to think that, but at least he can get into a good routine of lapping on some stone then use the new skills on an antique straight that he might be able to keep when he's done! i second Zib's suggestion on keeping the crap razors to use for honing, but then again who are we!??

Wulfgar

Thanks for the welcome and the advice. :)

I do already have a strop (and soaps, mug, and brush). One of the belts is leather, the other is some kind of fake leather material. I read a lot about canvas, I know the other material isn't canvas, I am not sure what it is...

Should I just strop on the leather side?

The other side might be good to strop on too. Is it an antique strop ? Some of them had a rougher side and a finish side. Usually it would say 'finish' on the one side or use this side first on the rough. One way or the other certainly strop on the leather side.

I just looked up the strop that I bought. Apparently it is canvas. It's not like the canvas I am familiar with though...

Use the canvas first then the leather. Here is an excerpt from a 1961 barber manual in the SRP Wiki help files. The last couple of pages have some good stuff to go with on learning to strop correctly. Their suggestion to practice flipping the blade between the tip of the thumb and forefinger on the strop without bending the wrist is especially good to get down before you start doing the motion. You're less likely to nick your strop if you have that move memorized.